


Summer's End

by happyaspie



Series: Turning of the Tides [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Aged-Up Peter Parker, Anxious Peter Parker, Beach House, College Student Peter Parker, Difficult Decisions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Late Night Conversations, Not Canon Compliant, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark is a Good Mentor, Tony Stark is helping, Tony loves his kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-05-20 17:38:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19381543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyaspie/pseuds/happyaspie
Summary: Summer is almost over and Peter is getting ready to go to college.  He still feels somewhat unprepared but Tony is there to assure his kid that despite all of the changes he has nothing to fear.





	Summer's End

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a series that I highly recommend you read in order.

Tony had insisted that Peter some time off from his internship for the summer. Saying that he'd been working non-stop for the last several years and a break would do him some good but Peter knew the real reason. It was his last summer of childhood. They both knew that once September rolled around he would be off to college and everything would become suffocating. The classes, new expectations but mostly the loneliness. A phone call away, Tony had said but that didn't really sound like enough to keep the feelings of isolation from creeping in at night as he knew they would. 

 

The next two months would go by both painfully slowly and frighteningly fast at the same time.  Tony had given him, Ned and MJ all tickets to Disney World.  A graduation gift.  A chance to practice independence as they took control of their own experience without the instruction or management of a guardian.  A chance to be together.  One last hoorah before they went their separate ways.  It was only going to be a couple of weeks until MJ was off to Paris to get settled.  Ned had been accepted to CalTech.  He'd want to get there early to explore the campus and surrounding areas meaning that he too would be leaving within a few weeks of their return. 

 

Peter had been accepted to CalTech as well.  He'd also been accepted to NYTI and Princeton.   All three of those letters had been opened with eager anticipation.  Each congratulations coming with a small boost of confidence that validated everything everyone had been telling him.  He was good enough, smart enough and ready to join the ranks of a prestigious university.

 

Though none of those letters had held the same weight as the one he'd found lying in the coffee table on the last night of his last of the high school spring break.  It was the last to arrive and when he'd laid eyes on the cream-colored envelope adorned with the familiar red crest his heart had nearly skipped a beat.  Picking it up and turning it over in his hands, he began to run his fingers over the neatly penned letters that read, 'Mr. Peter B. Parker'.  This was the one.  The one that would determine his future.  Not wanting to open this one alone as he had all the others, he'd tucked it into his backpack and rushed to catch the next bus.  

 

Without so much as a phone call, he arrived at the Stark's door at Just after ten.  It was late for Pepper, he knew but Tony would be up.  Waiting for the man to answer the door felt like it took a years time though it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.  He could feel the envelope grow heavy in his hands.  The eleven grams may as well have been eleven pounds by the time the man was ushering him into the kitchen.  Saying nothing, Peter had thrust the envelope into Tony's hands.  He'd looked back at him with a proud grin and sat down across from him at the table, handing it back.  "You going to open it, or what, Kid?"

 

"You do it.", Peter hesitantly demanded, not accepting the envelope currently being held out to him.  By having Tony read it first, he would be able to surmise the contents of the letter by his eyes alone.  He wasn't sure if that was better or worse really, but the idea of reading the words 'We regret to inform you' seemed like an impossible task.  

 

"Nope.  It has your name on it.", Tony informed as he slid it back across the table so that it rested just within the reach of Peter's fingertips. 

 

Tony's eyes shown with optimism and that should have been enough to help Peter feel at ease but it didn't.  With a shaky smile, he picked up the envelope and started to tear at the edges, slowly removing the singular sheet of Paper.  Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before reading it aloud.  ' _Dear Peter, On behalf of the Acceptance Committee, it is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted into the MIT class of--"_

 

Before Peter could get through the first line, Tony was already boasting with pride.  "--What did I tell you!", he shouted as he jumped up out of his chair to stand behind where Peter sat as they both skimmed through the remainder of the letter.  Then after a few moments of comfortable silence, he placed his hands heavily on Peter's shoulders and rested his chin atop his head.  "I knew you could do it, kid."

 

With that, his fate had been sealed.  He'd been accepted into MIT and had been given just over a month to confirm his intent to enroll.  Of course, it hadn't taken that long.  MIT was the one.  It always had been, even long before Tony or any of his influence had come into his life.  He should have been happy.  He had every right to be but something was stopping him.  It was like he was a small child trying to reach the cookie jar at the edge of the counter.  It was clear enough to see, yet just out of reach.

 

By the time Ned had left for California, Peter was back to regularly working with Tony in his various labs and workshops.  He was glad to be back.  He revealed in the normalcy of it all.  The smell of motor oil and clean sweat that hung air, the rhythmic movements all of the machinery and the familiar sound of Tony mumbling along to the music in the background. It engulfed his senses, a perfect blend that came to a crescendo the second his hands got to work. 

 

He was just starting to think that maybe that was what he was going to miss the most when Tony interrupted his thoughts.  "Just two more weeks, right kid?", he'd practically chirped from the other side of the room.

 

Two weeks sounded too close but once he'd taken a moment to consider it, he knew the man was right.  There were only fifteen and a half days until he would be packing up his things and placing them in the back of one of Tony's cars so that they could make the drive to Massachusetts where Peter would move into the small room that he would call home for the next several months. 

 

It had been decided that Tony would be the one to accompany him to the dorms and help him get everything in order.  He'd wanted to insist that he could do it on his own but whenever Tony brought it up his eyes would light up with eager anticipation.   He had to constantly remind himself that no one was trying to imply that he was incapable.  Tony just wanted to be a part of it.  Going along for the ride, helping him unpack and walking around the campus with his, this time as a student, was just as much of an experience for Tony as it was for himself.  MIT, college, in general, had always been a thing between them.

 

It took several minutes before Peter could be pulled from his thoughts and this time it was by the weight of a callused hand falling on his shoulder.  "You alright, Pete?", the man asked him softly.  

 

"Yeah, of course, Tony.  I was, I was thinking.  That's all."

 

"Thinking huh?", he asked in return, moving around to Peter's front so that he could see his face.  "What about, Buddy?"  

 

Peter sighed and met the man's eyes.  "College.  You're right, I leave in two weeks.  That's all"  That wasn't completely true and he knew the man would know it but it was all he wanted to share at the moment.

 

Choosing to ignore the fact that his kid definitely had more on his mind than that, he smiled.  "Got any big plans for how you want to spend those last two weeks?"

 

Blinking back at Tony as if that response had taken him by surprise he smiled back.  "Actually... I do.", he said with little pause for consideration.  When Tony raised his eyebrows in question, Peter continued.  "Remember that time we drove to MIT and back last summer and made a whole trip out of it?"

 

Smiling at the memory, he reached across the bench and took Peters hand in his, giving it a firm squeeze.  "Of course I do, kid.  We had a lot of fun didn't we.", he said, already having an understanding of what his boy was hinting at.  

 

"Mm-hmm.  Do, Do you think we could do something like that again?", Peter asked his voice just above a whisper.  

 

"We're going to spend four hours in the car together on the way to MIT, you need more time than that with me?", Tony teased with a gentle smile that was reserved only for Peter.  

 

"Always.", Peter replied, never taking his eyes off of Tony's.  He suddenly realized that he would always need more time with him.  That it wasn't the lab or the workshop he was going to miss the most.  It was the man himself.  _His father_.  Though he'd never called him such, the sentiment was there.  It had been for a long time. 

 

Sighing, Tony gave Peter's hand one last squeeze before letting go.  "Alright, kid.  I'll run it by Pepper.  I'm sure she won't mind.", he replied, already trying to come up with the perfect place to go.   Peter had chosen to spend one of his last weeks at home with him and he wanted to make it count even though he knew that it was his presence his child was craving more than a lavish weekend away.   

 

In the end, Tony chose to rent a small beach house right on the New Jersey shoreline.  The ride in the car was only about three hours but the entirety of that time had been occupied by lighthearted conversation.  For a moment Tony could have sworn that Peter looked happier than he had in the last several months. It wasn't until their last night there that the calm Peter thought he had found, abandoned him without warning.  

 

Unable to sleep, Peter crept out of the house and down to the shore.  The sky was clear allowing the moonlight and stars to illuminate the beach just enough to for him to navigate himself towards the tide.  He sat right at the very edge of where the sea met the sand and allowed the surf to wash over his toes.  He quickly found himself lost in thought.  Thought's of May finally having the freedom to travel the country as she'd always hoped to do.  Thoughts of MJ realizing her dreams and making a life for herself in Europe.  Thoughts of Ned who had already made a friend and couldn't wait for Peter to meet him. They were all happy, why couldn't he be happy too?  

 

Occupied by the thoughts that were overtaking his consciousness, Peter didn't hear it when Tony approach but he did catch sight of him in his peripheral.  The man slowly sat down beside him, cautious of his aching knees and stared at the horizon.  The sun was just beginning to consider rising for the day causing the navy sky starting to taking on the slightest of orange hues.  "Hey, Pete.", he finally whispered, never turning his head.  "Is it late?"

 

"Yeah.  It's pretty late.  Sorry.", Peter uttered chancing a look in the older man's direction.  He didn't know why he'd felt the need to apologize.  That was a habit he'd long since outgrown and he hoped Tony wouldn't comment on it but he did.

 

"You don't have to apologize, Kid.", he'd said with a small laugh.  "Wow.  I haven't had to say that in a hot minute."  After several seconds of no reaction, he pressed on.  "What's on your mind, Bud?"

 

"Everyone's happy.", Peter stated almost cryptically before sighing.  "May is happy with her new job, Ned is happy with his new friends, MJ's happy with her new school and I'm..."

 

"not.", Tony sighed out filling in were Peter's words had failed.  He'd known Peter wasn't happy, he just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it.  Though, perhaps that had been the wrong choice. This wasn't going to fix its self.  He needed to say something.  "Pete, It's okay to be nervous, you know that right?"

 

"I know.", Peter readily replied. 

 

"It's okay to be scared too.", Tony added but those words seemed to frustrate Peter more than anything else, as he brought his hands up to his hair.

 

"I know!", he spat before reeling himself in.  "You're right, I'm both of those things but, but I'm also lonely.  I'm not even there yet and I'm already lonely.  I won't have May or any of my friends, I won't be able to go out as Spider-man and I won't have you."

 

He'd wondered if that was what this was about.  It had come up vaguely a few times over the last few months but Peter had yet to really open up to him about it.  "You'll make some friend's while you're there, kid.  I promise.", he said in an attempt to soothe, though it seemed to do quite the opposite.

 

"You can't Promise that Tony!", Peter snapped back never letting go of his hair.

 

"I can and I will.", Tony firmly came back using the tone that Peter had told him once was his 'dad voice'.  At the time he'd brushed it off with a laugh but these days he embraced it.   "You're a good kid.  Plus, you'll have so much in common with everyone on that campus you would have to work at it to not make friends."

 

Relaxing marginally, Peter hesitated. "I'm not so sure..."

 

"If I could make a friend there then, you should be able to make at least ten.", Tony said as he leaned in to wrap his arm around his boy's shoulders.  They sat there until the sun had risen just above the water.  Listening to the waves and relishing in each other's quiet company.  It wasn't until Peter's stomach began to rumble its demand for breakfast that either one of them made a move to stand.  Peter getting up first and offering a hand to a stiff-kneed Tony so that he could help him rise to his feet. 

 

The remainder of the morning was light and pleasant.  They ate breakfast and Peter dozed in the hammock on the porch.  Neither of them spoke of the conversation on the beach.   In fact, nothing much was said at all until they were back in the car.  "Tony?", Peter had asked casually as he peered out the window.

 

"Yeah, kid?"

 

Peter's eyes flicker towards the man for a mere second before his gaze fell back to the passing scenery. "Everything's changing... isn't it."

 

"Like the tides, Buddy.", Tony nodded as he kept his concentration on the road before him. "But you know what happens when the tides change?", he asked, earning him a hopeful look from Peter. "It shapes the landscape and reveals new treasures.  Like those sand dollars, you picked up this morning.  Those would have remained hidden in the ocean if it weren't for the turning of the tides. ...and with tomorrow's change, there will be something new there for someone else to find.  Pete... all these changes you're so worried about?  They're going to shape you into the person you're meant to become and, kid, I can't wait to see what treasures they reveal because whatever they are, they're going to be amazing.", he finished, offering a brief smile as he stole a glance in his son's direction.

 

Sighing in relief, Peter looked towards the man who he looked up to the most and smiled a small smile.  "Do you really think so?"

 

Tony didn't need to think twice before answering because of course, he did.  This was his kid they were talking about and his kid was destined for greatness. So, without a moment's hesitation, he whispered out with every bit of confidence that he could pack into three little words, "I know so."

 

 


End file.
